No cigarettes. No sleep. No light. No sound.

I've been listening to the Hollies version of this (which is the first version that was a hit, but not the first that was recorded) pretty regularly lately. I've no idea what's up with that. Although it's become apparent to me that Radiohead's "Creep" might not exist without it.

Jorge Gonzalez "Necesito Poder Respirar (The Air That I Breathe)" (comp. Albert Hammond/Mike Hazelwood)

Steve Wynn "The Air That I Breathe" (comp. Albert Hammond/Mike Hazelwood)

The Mavericks "The Air That I Breathe" (comp. Albert Hammond/Mike Hazelwood)

Olivia Newton-John "The Air That I Breathe" (comp. Albert Hammond/Mike Hazelwood)
 

Nobody told me it was gonna turn out this way.

Sorry for the slight delay. Holidays and back pain and whatnot.

Greg Lowery Band "Ain't Even Done With the Night" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Blue Bloods "Authority Song" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Hot Water Music "Authority Song" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Operation Cliff Clavin "Authority Song" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Keystone All-Stars "Authority Song" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Vitamin String Quartet "Cherry Bomb" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Uriah Heep "Hot Night in a Cold Town" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Pat Benatar "I Need a Lover" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

The bluegrass Tribute Band "Lonely Ol' Night" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)
A piece of Lobstar trivia: I was 12 or 13 and was at the Fun Frolic in Bloomington, Indiana, the night they shot this video.

Avail "Pink Houses" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Vibrascope "Pinkhausen" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)
I was planning not to comment on any of these covers, but I added the personal trivia above so I feel I have to say this here: When it's the mid-1990s and you have two close friends who imbibe various substances on a regular basis and have a four track, you have to be prepared for things like this. Um, yeah.

Eli Barsi "Small Town" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)

Jon Cougar Concentration Camp "Small Town" (John Cougar Mellencamp cover)
 

Gimme strength for Round 5.

I've traveled many roads to hell over the years, but the one I'll discuss now is the one paved with good intentions. Yeah, posting every day was hard enough when I was a hardcore slacker, but I'm finding it an impossibility now that I'm working a full-time, night-time temp job that's far more physically demanding than the desk-drone jobs I've worked the past 7 or so years. Then again, I did decide to refer to my everyday attempt as NaNoCoMo, and half of the people I know who attempt NaNoWriMo give up by the third week as well. So, in a way I met the goal. I will still try to post a few times a week from now until the end of time. Or something like that. All I know is that within the next 48 hours I'm sharing all the covers I have of John Mellencamp songs that are currently on my hard drive. Be very afraid.

P.S. Buy shirts from Threadless' Holiday sale.

Tonite [sic] I'm crawling out from in it.

I'm trying to make up for the brief gap this weekend by posting 12 songs. They're all over the map as usual, but all are better than that catastrophic Sugarland cover of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" on tonight's American Music Awards, IMO.

Jason Groth (and friends?) "Gold Hick" (Guided By Voices cover)

Jason Groth (and friends?) "King and Caroline" (Guided By Voices cover)
Jason lives in Indiana, is a friend of my best pal Ryan and is/has been in lots of bands, such as Magnolia Electric Co., The Impossible Shapes, The Coke Dares, etc. He's also apparently a man after my own heart and recently recorded a track-for-track tribute to GBV's Alien Lanes, which is an awesome thing to do. He sent it to Ryan, Ryan sent it to me, and here we all are.

Gravioli "The Kids Are Alright" (The Who cover)
Speaking of my best pal Ryan, this is a quick cover he recorded the other day and sent to me. I didn't ask him whether it was okay to post it here, but I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel! He's known me 15 years, I think he knows that all covers sent to me risk an appearance here unless I'm warned otherwise.

The McRackins "Love Is Alright Tonite" (Rick Springfield cover)
Here's another song whose title not only utilizes the "word" alright, but also the "word" tonite. The original Springfield track is not only used brilliantly in Wet Hot American Summer but is also the first song on Side A of Working Class Dog, the album I chose to blare earlier today to drown out the sound of my disgustingly young and attractive hipster neighbors arguing—an act of retaliation that resulted in a slightly uncomfortable verbal exchange, which was later resolved. Hooray for indie peace!

The Wave Pictures "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke cover)
Somehow, in a manner unbeknownst to me, a track by The Wave Pictures with a wacky title wound up on my hard drive and in my shuffle play yesterday. I Googled them, found this track on their MySpace page and liked it enough to post here.

Mog Stunt Team "Hello There" (Cheap Trick cover)
Sometimes the songs with simplest lyrics rock the most. I'm not necessarily saying that's the case here. Just sayin'.

Hey "Hanging on the Telephone" (Nerves cover)
I posted a cover of this not too long ago, but this band is Polish and I don't post enough Polish stuff.

Deadbolt "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" (comp. Burt Bacharach)
This comes from That's New Pussycat: A Surf Tribute to Burt Bacharach, although this is more psychobilly than surf. Or maybe just psycho.

The Beautiful South "You're the One that I Want" (Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta cover, from Grease)
Very often, when bands release all-cover albums such as The Beautiful South's Golddiggas, Headnodders & Folk Songs, it winds up seeming to be more about providing a showcase of said band's idols than a means to create interesting new music. I think in the case of this TBS track, they did a little of both.

Lawnmower Deth "Up The Junction" (Squeeze cover)
This is totally my guilty cover pleasure of the week.

Dump "Vienna" (Ultravox cover)
Keeping with the self-recorded theme of the first few tracks (and thanks to the fact that I was in Dave's Records the other day and they were playing Ultravox and it made me so very happy), here is an old favorite of mine.

The Mountain Goats "Dirty Old Town" (Ewan MacColl cover)
This is here because I [heart] the Mountain Goats and couldn't afford to go see them the other day.
 

Mírame!

Well, I'm not surprised NaNoCoMo has a glitch or two. Neither is anyone reading, I'm guessing. There's some glitch with my chosen FTP and I'm too busy/lazy to figure it out right now (or to download a different program). Hopefully, I'll post some actual tracks tomorrow. Until then, I hope you won't want to kill me for this post. (The last one is not the best, but it's my favorite.)




















It could go on forever, but even I have my limits!

Tomorrow's too late: Accept me today!

As random a post as any and written just under the wire!

Ni-Hao! "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio" (Ramones cover)

Band "In God We Trust" (Stryper cover)

Matsuri "No More Sorry" (My Bloody Valentine cover)
 

I'm the one who's dreaming.

Stay away from these tracks if you're diabetic, because they are so twee and cute and poppy they will make your teeth hurt. I Like Japanese Hardcore was a short-lived Plan-It-X-related project out of Bloomington, IN, where their sole album (that features only one of the two-person act, actually) was recorded at local indie radio station WFHB. I get in the mood for the ILJH recording from time to time, particularly the song in which they sort of bash another Bloomington band I was never that into. If you like these covers, you can grab the whole recording for free and read a little more about the band here.

I Like Japanese Hardcore "In Your Bed" (Cub cover)

I Like Japanese Hardcore "Fine Day For Sailing" (Go Sailor cover)
 

Earth is afire.

Dear universe: It's awesome that you got me free tickets to the Georgie James/Aqueduct show because it ruled. However, it's not awesome when I lose the footage I shot of Aqueduct performing Warren G's "Regulate" and when both my Internet service is down and the water in my building is shut off practically all day. You're lucky that I have tomorrow's Duran Duran tribute night at Neo to make up for it. Kthnxbye!

Powderfinger "The Chauffeur" (Duran Duran cover)

Mr. T Experience "Is There Something I Should Know?" (Duran Duran cover)

Rhode Island Boys Choir "I Don't Want Your Love" (Duran Duran cover)

Rats With Wings "Hungry Like the Wolf" (Duran Duran cover)

It's the freakin' weekend baby, I'm about to have me some fun.

Well, someone slept in today in preparation for the Aqueduct show she won free tickets to, so "today's" MP3s will more than likely be posted "tomorrow" (aka whatever time I return from the show). Sorry, kids, but Liza doesn't turn down the free indie rock.

Don't want to be a boy; you want to be a man.

It's nearly midnight, I'm just back from a somewhat annoying '80s-themed interactive show, my "too pretty for their own good" hipster next-door neighbors are yet again taunting me with their loud "lovemaking," and I'm so dedicated to my NaNoCoMo mission, I'm posting some songs.

I was contacted via IM today on my favorite P2P network by a charming fellow who once sent me a cover that I meant to post but forgot. (I get a lot of songs sent to me in addition to those I find on my own, so that tends to happens a lot—sorry!) Anyhow, Jamie Cameron (aka The Last Dinosaur and Destroying Something Beautiful, etc.) is a talented singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/indie label creator who likes Threadless shirts and whose covers are all very pretty. I'm posting a couple, but you can grab a few more here. Pretty good for a recovering bedroom rocker, I say.

The Last Dinosaur (UK) "Beat It" (Michael Jackson cover)

Destroying Something Beautiful (UK) "Someday" (Steve Earle cover)
 

The only road they've ever known.

Rose Polenzani, Sharon Lewis, Dinty Child, Dave Champagne, Jess Fox, Kimon Kirk, Joel Ninesling, and Ry Cavanaugh

I am kinda sorta your best friend.

I'd like to start off with a little reminder: If you read Copy, Right? via the LiveJournal feed, please know that I am not notified when people leave comments there. If you want to leave a comment you'll be sure I'll see, please leave it at Copy, Right? proper.

Speaking of the massive popularity of Copy, Right? (ha!), it appears mine is one of a slew of MP3 blogs nominated by Hey! Nielsen and Billboard.com's "Best Music Blog" contest. It is my nature to be self-deprecating, so I will say right now that—due to the presence of tons of other, better nominees—I don't expect to come close to winning. Although, if you're one of those types who likes to create lots of new Internet accounts and vote for things, voting begins Monday. If I win one of the prizes I could win some free downloads and you all know what that means: Non-Stop College A Capella Jam 2007!

Speaking of non-stop college a capella jams (just kidding), I got an e-mail yesterday from Dent May (and his Magical Ukelele?) alerting me to his MySpace page, the "About Me" section of which features a free downloadable ZIP file of his latest EP that features a cover of one of my favorite songs ever, Prince's "When You Were Mine." Hearing his version drew a memory from the recesses of my brain that I once sang "When You Were Mine" at some queer-positive (I was the token straight member of OUT at the time, heh) event at the Collins Coffeehouse at IU accompanied by my best pal Ryan on guitar. Unfortunately, while I'm sure my version had its own distinct charm, it was not as good as Dent May's by a long shot. I'm sort of in love with the whole EP, particularly "College Town Boy," because, I swear, I totally know that guy! We probably all do. In particular, fans of Jonathan Richman, the Magnetic Fields, Don Lennon and the like should download it ASAP.

Speaking of free downloadable ZIP files, those clamoring for video-game-style covers of all sorts of bands from the Beatles to the Gin Blossoms to Fall Out Boy to Saosin to a whole slew of acts with which I'm not particularly familiar, The Hunt for Yoshi can more than fulfill your needs. There has to be a person or two reading who "clamors" for such things, right?

Speaking of clamoring for things, it won't come as a surprise to anyone to know that I lust for strange foreign cover songs. Therefore, I feel it imperative that I wish a Happy First Birthday to Eurocovers!

Speaking of awesome cover blogs, I'm about to post today's MP3s. Just a heads-up that, due to my staggeringly awesome post-every-day-this-month thing, I'll probably start unlinking tracks that are more than a week old as I go. So if you see something you want to grab, don't put it off too long!

Hello Saferide "Teen Line" (The Shivvers cover)
My favorite jangly Swedish tweemo singer/songwriter meets my favorite overlooked power pop hit and I giddily explode. Heaven!

The Methadones feat. Annie Soviette "Goodbye to You" (Scandal cover)
I hope one day to see this Chicago punk/power-pop band live—although I'm not quite into the scene enough to go to Riot Fest next week to do so—but until then, I revel in their all-covers album 21st Century Power Pop Riot, for quite obvious reasons.

Bjorn Again "Stop! (More)" (Erasure cover)
While power pop has been ruling my life lately, I have to admit I found myself in a very Erasure mood today. Interpret that however you wish—unless you wish to do so in the style of Abba, which has obviously already been done.

Piano Tribute Players "Teenagers" (My Chemical Romance cover)
When I win the lottery and buy a player piano, I will program in all of my screamo favorites.

Inkubus Sukkubus "Paint It Black" (Rolling Stones cover)
I feel a dearth of goth here lately and thus resolve it.

Run Run Run "Fade Into You (Z-Trip Remix)" (Mazzy Star cover)
I'm all entried out now. Just listen to it.
 

Tonight's the night.

Class "Strobe Light" (B-52's cover)

Bluetip "52 Girls" (B-52's cover)

Aviador Dro "Planet Claire" (Spanish B-52's cover)
 

...and I know the night is fading, and I know that time's gonna fly...

I feel like on any given day I'd be just as likely to dislike it, but right now I'm sort of in love with Portland (OR) band Sexton Blake's all-covers album, Plays the Hits! Sounds sort of like the all-covers album I've always imagined me (along with my more musically talented friends) making one day.

Sexton Blake "I Need Love" (LL Cool J cover)

Sexton Blake "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" (Air Supply cover)
 

All this machinery making modern music.

Technically, I started writing this on the 4th but—thanks to an interruption from my ISP and the continuation of the days-long Freaks and Geeks marathon my friend and I are holding3I'm not posting until the 5th. Speaking of Freaks and Geeks, covers of songs that were featured on F&G at some point is the theme of this post. Apologies in advance for the bulk of them.

Rosetta Stone "The Spirit of Radio" (Rush cover)

Rev. Milton Brunson & The Thompson Community Choir "Jesus Is Just Alright With Me" (Byrds cover/comp. Reynolds)

Woodrow Jackson Orchestra ft. Money Mark "Love's Theme" (Love Unlimited Orchestra cover)

Lisa Mychols "Look Sharp!" (Joe Jackson cover)

The Binghamton Crosbys "Renegade" (Styx cover)

Monica Green "25 or 6 to 4" (Chicago cover)

Botox "Fashion" (David Bowie cover)

Arvid Tuba "Do You Love Me?" (Kiss cover)
 

An image of you and of me and we're laughing and loving it all.

I'm very hungover, but let that not keep me from achieving my goal of posting a few songs a day this month.

General Store "Hold Me Now" (Thompson Twins cover)

Microsillon feat. Eugénie Allquezar "This Is Not America" (David Bowie cover)
 

Home is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there.

Gal and Lad "Going to Maine" (Mountain Goats cover)
A random Google search while cover hunting led me to the MySpace page of the delightful Gal and Lad, where you can download this track along with a few of their popdorable originals.

Farrah "It's Different for Girls" (Joe Jackson cover)
The dreamy lead singer for Farrah, a UK power pop band, sounds about 15 years old. And I'm okay with that.

Bettye LaVette "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" (Sinead O'Connor cover)
My friend Ray introduced me to this somewhat odd soul cover, which is featured on LaVette's album of somewhat odd soul covers, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise—which is itself named after a lyric from a Fiona Apple song likewise on the album.

Mysteries of Life "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" (Talking Heads cover)
Ah, Bloomington's own. (Indiana, of course.) Many talented and cute gals and guys have weaved in and out of this band and I love them all. god only knows how many times I've seen them live. Probably enough to never have to see them again. But that doesn't mean that I don't want to.

Les Calamités "When You Find Out" (Nerves cover)
I kind of always presumed that the Nerves original was actually a cover of some '60s garage/psych nugget, but no: It merely showcased a genre from which they drew inspiration. Les Calamités take it a step further by making it sound like crunchy old French DIY brilliance. If this recording existed decades ago and someone told me Les Calamités were the original performers, I'd have no reason to doubt that.

Zongamin "Third Uncle" (Brian Eno cover)
Experimental indienewwavetechnojazzfunk acts like Zongamin are usually a bit too weirdly all-over-the-map for me to pay more than 10 seconds worth of attention to them, but I must admit this cover makes me very happy.
 

All things grow.

NaNoCoMo inaugural post, yo!

Dessous Chics "Supersonic" (Oasis cover)
Vivent les fils electros!

Microfilm "Chicago" (Sufjan Stevens cover)
Chicago's Microfilm has been churning out lots of electro goodness, most of which can easily be purchased over at iTunes and eMusic. So if it's your thing, you should definitely buy some of their stuff.